Messenger and Advocate
Author: Caldwell, J. Leroy
The Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate was published in Kirtland, Ohio, from October 1834 to September 1837-thirty-six sixteen-page, double-column issues. It succeeded the evening and the morning star. The name Messenger and Advocate described its purpose: to be the messenger and advocate of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, thus to help the Saints better understand its doctrines and principles. Main doctrinal contributions came from Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery, W. W. Phelps, and John Whitmer. Other entries continued articles from the Star, a history of the Christian church, letters from missionaries, hymns, news of current Church events such as the building of the Kirtland Temple and its dedicatory services, editorials, minutes of conferences, summaries of news of the day, marriages, notices, and obituaries.
The last issue of each annual volume contained an index of all twelve issues.
Oliver Cowdery edited the Messenger and Advocate from October 1834 to May 1835. He was succeeded by John Whitmer from June 1835 to March 1836, but returned as editor from April 1836 to January 1837. Thereafter, his brother Warren A. Cowdery served from February to September 1837, when publication ceased. Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were listed as publisher for the 1837 February and March issues. In April 1837 the printing office and contents were transferred to William Marks, who was then listed as the publisher.
When Warren A. Cowdery declined further publishing, the Messenger and Advocate noted that "a large body of the elders of the church of Latter Day Saints have united and rented the printing establishment" (3:571-72) to publish the Elders' Journal of The Church of Latter Day Saints, which ceased publication in Far West, Missouri, in 1838.
Bibliography
Backman, Milton V., Jr. The Heavens Resound: A History of the Latter-day Saints in Ohio, 1830-1838. Salt Lake City, 1983.
J. LEROY CALDWELL
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